September Newsletter: New Activities, Exciting Opportunities & September Spotlight
September Newsletter: New Activities, Exciting Opportunities & September Spotlight
Welcome to our September newsletter. This month we’ve been reevaluating what support roles and activities would best serve the community. We’re excited about taking these forward alongside the usual services we provide and hope you will be too. A new gardening group, training for professionals & a new Own My Life cohort, read on to find out more…
Women’s Service
Active Cases 52 | Referrals 205
CYP Service
Active Cases 34 | Referrals 64
Service User Feedback & Achievements
Cut all ties with perpetrator
CYP for deciding to let mum do the worrying and trusting her to sort things
Now able to have CSO removed
Overcoming anxiety to join a group & also take charge of her future by joining the 12 week Own My Life course
2 CYP who have both been able to reflect and learn from events
Training Opportunity for Professionals – Own My Life
Own My Life has given me an opportunity to have something that is my own again, a safe place and source of stable comfort each week. […] Own My life has begun my new, better life
Participant in Women’s Aid Orkney’s OML course
The Own My Life course is an innovative, creative, educational 12-week course, with a 6-week follow-on course, for women impacted by domestic abuse.
We’re now offering a 1 hour taster session for professionals on Wednesday 3rd November, 11am-12pm on Teams.
Do you think this course might help someone you know, a client, colleague, friend or family member?
Would you like to understand what the course entails and how to explain it to others?
Are you interested in how to enable women to join the course?
Insecure immigration status is often manipulated as a tool for coercive control against women. Victims of human trafficking and modern slavery are similarly threatened with deportation if they report abuse. Refuge states that “Using victims’ fear about their immigration status to control them is a common tactic used by traffickers and perpetrators of other forms of gender-based violence.”
Perpetrators often use immigration/visa status as a tool of control and safeguard for themselves to carry on committing the crime of domestic abuse without fear of consequences. At risk are women who have come to the U.K. on spousal visas, student visas, refugees, asylum seekers, victims of human trafficking and those who’ve overstayed their their visa.
Their intersectionality of gender, immigration status and often race, as women of minority ethnic groups are disproportionately affected, combine to make it very difficult for women & girls to seek help. The rule of No Recourse to Public Funds means these victims cannot access publicly funded refuges and services. Often meaning these women & their children have to chose between abuse and a roof over their heads.
Getting Help
999 silent call service: Make Yourself Heard if you are in danger and unable to talk, dial 999 from a mobile phone and press 55 – this will transfer your call to the police.
Shakti Women’s Aid helps BME women, children, and young people experiencing, or who have experienced, domestic abuse
Imkaan is a UK women’s organisation dedicated to addressing violence against BME women and girls.
Southall Black Sisters offer specialist support, advocacy and information to Asian and African-Caribbean women suffering abuse.
Opoka provide a national helpline for Polish women living in the UK.
Confide in a friend, family, colleague, someone you trust for support & help
Always contact the police in an emergency for free on 999 or 101 for non-emergency
CYP SODA
This month we learned about healthy friendships, and this is what one CYP had to say about it:
It’s fine if your friend wants to spend time with other friends, if you’re not ok with that, you’re probably not a very good friend
CYP aged 12
In Minecraft group we made some magical schools and enjoyed a dramatic story about a King who needed to do well in school to keep his status. There were lots of unique and special builds including secret entrances that could be sealed for safety and water stairs!
We also shared our thoughts about bullying and what to do if you or someone else is bullied, together we learned that bullying can make us feel: ‘scared, angry, alone, embarrassed, ashamed’. We learned that everyone has the right to be safe and respected and we should always tell a grown up we trust to help us if someone is being bullied (teacher, parent, Key Worker).
It can be understandable to struggle with optimism when times are challenging. Often we feel like this is how life will always be. However, building the muscle of optimism can actually help you to recover from difficult experiences. It can take practice and isn’t about just pretending things are fine when they’re not – that doesn’t help anyone! Try setting a goal to try as many of the tips above in the coming month. Whether you manage them all, one a week or one from the month, it helps to build trust that you can positively affect your present and future.
Special Thanks…
Jen Upson, Speyside counselling: looking after us all by providing supervision for all staff
Support workers, Annie & Barbara: congratulations on their new roles within the service as family/young women support worker and family support worker respectively!
Shona, women’s support worker: for always being such a dedicated support worker & much-loved colleague, now moving on to exciting new ventures – we wish you the best of luck!
Councillor John Richards: being so lovely, passionate and supportive of our gardening idea. He longs to see the place he gardened for so many years cared for again and used by children and women. Thank you!
Orkney Foodbank: always being so helpful and supportive with our SU in difficult times
Argyll & Bute Women’s Aid: their kind feedback on our CYP Minecraft group training and for being so open minded in finding ways to connect with CYP
Michelle Mackie: always providing such great support, it’s very much appreciated!
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